ACP Magazines has announced the appointment of Bill Thomas as the incoming editor of Wheels magazine, replacing Ged Bulmer who resigned from the post in August after eight years in the chair.

Officially starting his new job on November 14, Mr Thomas is an Australian expatriate currently working for BBC Magazines in the UK as deputy editor of the British edition of Top Gear magazine.

In a statement released this week, ACP said Mr Thomas grew up in Brisbane and had spent much of the past two decades in the UK, working on a range of titles including Car, EVO and Max Power.

Left: Future Carsguide editor Ged Bulmer.

He spent three years as deputy editor of Autocar before joining Top Gear magazine in 2006.

Wheels publisher Michael Koslowski said: “Selecting the next editor of Wheels was a tough process – we had some exceptional candidates seeking to join a very select editors’ club.

“In the end, Bill’s creative vision for the next era for Wheels, combined with his passion for all things motoring, won through.”

Mr Bulmer has remained at Wheels until his successor was announced, although in August was appointed the managing editor of News Limited’s Carsguide, which makes him responsible for editorial content and direction across the company’s national newspaper and internet stable.

GoAuto’s report in August that Mr Bulmer was moving to News Limited prompted Carsguide publisher Sue Klose to confirm his appointment.

She said securing his services was a “real coup” for Carsguide, considering Mr Bulmer had, over 18 years of editing motoring magazines, “proven his ability to grow circulation and readership”.

“My brief to Ged is straightforward: just keep doing what you do,” she said.

In an internal memo, ACP Magazines men’s lifestyle publisher Michael Koslowski paid tribute to Mr Bulmer, who as a former editor of Motor (1998-2002) and 4Wheeler (1994-1998) is one of ACP’s longest-serving editors.

“Ged has been an extremely successful and dedicated ACP editor, and a man of the highest integrity,” Mr Koslowski said. “He has led the magazine to record consistently strong circulation, readership and advertising revenue.

“While we are sad to see him hit the road again, we wish him well in his next adventure, and look forward to his return.”